If Elche has never beaten Barcelona as a visitor and only one player from its current squad, Víctor Chust, has managed to do so, the visible head of the current franjiverde project, Eder Sarabiaalso knows what it's like to win at the Camp Nou as a foreigner.
He did it with Real Betis, in a spectacular match with seven goals and always green and white dominance, during his long period as Quique Setién's assistant. That match, played on November 11, 2018 (matchday 12 of 2018-2019) ended with a score of 3-4. The Sevillians took advantage of two goals and did not let it escape.
Great goals against Messi
The match was marked by the return to the Barça starting eleven of Messi, absent the previous three weeks due to an injury. The Argentine star scored a fruitless double, including the last goal of the match, already in injury time. The gale of Betic play was corroborated in the first two goals, both after brilliant collective actions, Junior Firpo y Joaquin. On the bench, Sarabia did not stop celebrating with substitutes and other members of the coaching staff.
Betis, with Eder Sarabia, celebrates its victory against Barcelona in the locker room / R.B./E.S.
Messi's first goal, from a penalty, in the 68th minute, did not discourage the green and whites, who responded almost instantly with Lo Celsowith the collaboration of an erratic Ter Stegen. Vidal once again closed the gap and, again without time to collapse, Canales made it 2-4. That goal and the expulsion of Rakitic settled a score that Barça's “10” would make up for something in the 93rd minute.
Setién and Sarabia's Betis performance was seen as an exhibition of a model that, years later, would take both of them to the culé bench, after the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde in January 2020. Then, the now Franjiverde coach celebrated another ten victories at the Camp Nou, this time at home. In fact, they only lost there in their last league game, against Osasuna, with a goal in stoppage time, a sensation that they had already felt as a visitor with Las Palmas (5-0, 2016-2017) and Betis (2-0, 2017-2018).
Sarabia, along with Setién, as Barça technicians / E.S.
Now, it is Sarabia's turn to try to beat Barça, although it will not be at the Camp Nou but at Montjuïc. The memory of that exhibition, also with the green and white colors, will surely haunt you during these days before the game.
Subscribe to continue reading